GRAY – A second-quarter points explosion staked the Cloudland Lady Highlanders to a huge halftime lead and they cruised to a 51-30 win over Sullivan North in round one of the District 1-A tournament on Friday afternoon at Bobby Snyder gym.

Cloudland (19-10) scored 28 second-quarter points to take a 35-8 halftime advantage and were never threatened. With the win, Cloudland moves to the region and will take on North Greene today for seeding in the region tournament.

“We shot well and passed the ball well,” Lady Highlanders head coach Mike Lunsford said. “We had a lot of assists and it takes two to get one. If the girl you pass to don’t make the shot, you don’t get an assist. Everybody got to play and the bench helped us out a lot.”

The Highlanders started slowly with four early turnovers but still managed a 7-2 lead with 1:13 left in the opening stanza. That’s how the first period ended but Cloudland began to collect itself in the second period with Abbey Gouge and Jasmine Birchfield each hitting buckets to give the ‘Landers a 12-3 advantage with 6:44 left in the first half.

Cloudland opened its biggest lead of the half at 19-6 after a three-point play from Stacia Wilson and Heaven Caraway followed with a three-ball for a 22-6 advantage with 4:19 left in the half. Caraway would hit two more trey’s before the period ended as the ‘Landers rolled to their big halftime lead.

“Caraway shot the ball real well and the kids did a good job getting her the ball,” Lunsford said. “Sullivan North played good team defense and we sometimes had to go to plan B and plan C.”

The ‘Landers continued to pour it on as the second half began with Kenzie Birchfield connecting on a three-ball to open the frame. The ‘Landers led 42-12 after a deuce from Wilson with 3:27 left in the period.

Cloudland was able to empty its bench in the fourth quarter with Gracie Freeman scoring four off the bench. North finished 7-for-18 from the free throw line and had 14 turnovers. Winters led all scorers with 12 points for the Lady Raiders while Caraway and Trinity Vines each had nine for the ‘Landers.

Cloudland 51-30

Sullivan North (30)

Absher 1, Crawford 2, Bean 2, Vaughn 9, Winters 12, Mullins 1, Bates 2.

Cloudland (51)

K. Birchfield 6, Wilson 8, Gouge 4, Vines 9, Caraway 9, L. Birchfield 1, Benfield 2, J. Birchfield 6, Freeman 4, Johnson 2.

Sullivan North 2 6 8 13 – 30

Cloudland 7 28 9 6 – 51

3-point goals: SN 0, C 6 (Caraway 3, K. Birchfield 2, Vines 1).